During my years observing passersby at the corner of N. Broadway & U.S. 36 in Boulder, I saw a lot of stoned drivers with clouds of pungent smoke rolling out of their open windows, as they carefully steered their cars down the bike lane. A menace just like drunk drivers! https://t.co/zUtJVPjcLQ

I doubt you’ll find many potheads at the gym. On the other hand, if you visit Boulder Shelter for the Homeless or Bridge House you’ll find as many or more stoners, young and old, as chronic alcoholics. The long-term effects on the brain are the same. Lots of drunks and lots of stoners can’t remember how to tie their shoes.

Comments from well-meaning people who have never been one of the majority of homeless people who do NOT fit any of the negative stereotypes (my educated guess is that this is 80% of all those meeting the definition of homeless, most of whom maintain a low profile) cause me to continue shaking my head.

To me, a man who lived outdoors in Boulder, CO and its environs for a decade, never getting a ticket for anything nor being arrested, I’m shaking my head at both sides on this issue of urban camping. I could never imagine wanting to be part of a mob of unwashed, drunken, drugged-up, loutish bums trashing public areas in any city both day and night.

But, at the same time, I have nothing but contempt for the homeless shelter / services industry which has wasted tens-of-millions of dollars in Denver alone and has no positive results to show in terms of reducing the numbers of homeless people overall. The creed of organized do-gooders everywhere seems to be: More Homeless People = More Money, and it’s painfully obvious to this “chronically homeless” man that they have no intention of putting themselves out of business. Most don’t profit by it in a monetary sense; those are the people whose most important goal is to feel good about themselves. Of course, there are a few in positions of leadership at homeless shelter / services providers making a ton of money (for nothing).

My advice to anyone on the streets in Denver is to move to a smaller city, live alone or with one other homeless camper on the town’s outskirts, stay clean and sober, be respectful to others at all times, and find productive ways to occupy your time. Because of some long-term physical problems, I’m now living in a residential care facility, but I started my hobby of blogging about homelessness way back in 2009 and continue to this day.

I’d have a hard time choosing which is worse: 1) Living in the Third World-style squalor of one of Denver’s makeshift homeless camps with 100 others, or 2) Being stuck in some silly revolving-door program leading to so-called transitional housing in a homeless ghetto project, hassled by ignorant case managers at every turn, until fleeing back to live free of such constraints (most program participants do so, sooner or later).

And I’ve never understood the do-gooders who want to apologize for and enable the worst-behaved transients, who are a small minority making all homeless folks look bad. I can say, on behalf of most of the homeless people I’ve known since 2008, that the BUMS and their sponsors all need to just go away and leave us be, in peace!

It had been about 10 days since I was weighed here at Hungry Asylum. I’ve lost 5 pounds, without any intention of doing so. I just can’t get enough to eat here, despite asking repeatedly. Breakfast was one slice of french toast without either syrup or butter; luckily, I did get two slices of bacon and a modest amount of scrambled eggs. Thankfully, the orange juice wasn’t too watered-down.

No sandwiches for snacking overnight, no ice cream with dinner, no extra helpings of the few tasty menu items available for me — yet I see how much gets wasted in the dining room. Those residents are served first AND second, then whatever is left over gets put on room trays for people like me who prefer to eat alone. One thing about Boulder Manor: I got plenty to eat there.

The “gross demographic product” comes from Hickenlooper’s time as Denver mayor, when he spent tens-of-millions of dollars on a “10-year plan to end homelessness.” That began about 15 years ago, and there are more homeless people on the streets now than ever before throughout the entire state of Colorado (many are marijuana travelers).